Using activity-backed overlays to display rich media content on portable devices during periods of user inactivity

Abstract

A method for displaying rich media content through a user interface of a communication device. A first user interaction with the user interface is detected and it is determined, based partly upon detection of the first user interaction, that a first Activity of a plurality of Activities is finishing. An Overlay containing the media content is then rendered on the device display. The Overlay is associated with a backing Activity, the device operating system delaying execution of the backing Activity during a delay period initiated in response to the first user interaction. The method further includes inhibiting Activity-supported functionality of the Overlay facilitated by the backing Activity. A context object associated with the Overlay is created to contain an Activity context associated with a state of the Overlay during the delay period. The Activity context is transferred to the backing Activity and Activity-supported functionality of the Overlay enabled.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for displaying rich media content through a user interface of a communication device, the communication device including a processor, a display, a memory including program code, an application program, and an activity-based operating system wherein the application program uses a plurality of activities associated with a plurality of display windows and wherein the rich media content includes one or more user-interactive elements, the method comprising:
 executing, by the processor and in response to an indication, the program code in order to: 
 detect a first user interaction with the user interface; 
 determine, based at least in part upon detection of the first user interaction, a first activity of the plurality of activities is finishing; 
 render, upon determining the first activity is finishing, an overlay containing the rich media content wherein the rich media content is displayed on the display by a view and wherein the overlay is associated with a backing activity, the activity-based operating system delaying execution of the backing activity during a delay period initiated in response to the first user interaction with the user interface; 
 inhibit an activity-supported functionality of the overlay wherein the activity-supported functionality is facilitated by the backing activity; 
 create a context object associated with the overlay, the context object being injected into the view and containing an activity context associated with a state of the overlay during the delay period wherein a functionality which normally would be provided by an activity is provided during the delay period by the overlay in combination with the injected context object; 
 transfer the activity context to the backing activity once the backing activity becomes available after expiration of the delay period wherein the context object is created before the backing activity becomes available; and 
 enable the activity-supported functionality of the overlay. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the program code further includes code configured to determine an availability of the backing activity upon expiration of the delay period. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the program code further includes code configured to:
 detect a second user interaction with the user interface; and 
 terminate the rendering of the overlay on the display upon the detection of the second user interaction. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the first user interaction corresponds to an initial selection of a predefined element of the user interface and wherein the second user interaction corresponds to a subsequent selection of the predefined element of the user interface. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein the predefined element of the user interface is a Home button. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the program code to inhibit the activity-supported functionality of the overlay further includes code configured to:
 detect one or more functions, method calls and other operations associated with the activity-supported functionality which are disallowed and occur during the delay period; and 
 inhibit the one or more detected functions, method calls and other operations. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the program code to inhibit the activity-supported functionality of the overlay further includes code configured to:
 detect one or more functions, method calls and other operations associated with the activity-supported functionality which are disallowed and occur during the delay period; and 
 delay execution of the or more detected functions, method calls and other operations until expiration of a timer wherein the timer expires contemporaneously with or following expiration of the delay period. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the program code to inhibit the activity-supported functionality of the overlay further includes code configured to:
 detect one or more functions, method calls and other operations associated with the activity-supported functionality which are disallowed and occur during the delay period; and 
 cancel the one or more detected functions, method calls and other operations. 
 
     
     
       9. A communication device comprising:
 a processor; 
 a user interface; and 
 a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing an application program for causing rich media content to be displayed on a display wherein the application program includes a plurality of activities associated with a plurality of display windows rendered by the display and wherein the rich media content includes one or more user-interactive elements, the memory further including program code and an activity-based operating system, wherein the program code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: 
 detect a first user interaction with the user interface; 
 determine, based at least in part upon detection of the first user interaction, a first activity of the plurality of activities is finishing; 
 render, upon determining the first activity is finishing, an overlay containing the rich media content wherein the rich media content is displayed on the display by a view and wherein the overlay is associated with a backing activity, the activity-based operating system delaying execution of the backing activity during a delay period initiated in response to the first user interaction with the user interface; 
 inhibit an activity-supported functionality of the overlay wherein the activity-supported functionality is facilitated by the backing activity; 
 create a context object associated with the overlay, the context object being injected into the view and containing an activity context associated with a state of the overlay during the delay period wherein a functionality which normally would be provided by an activity is provided during the delay period by the overlay in combination with the injected context object; 
 transfer the activity context to the backing activity once the backing activity becomes available after expiration of the delay period wherein the context object is created before the backing activity becomes available; and 
 enable the activity-supported functionality of the overlay. 
 
     
     
       10. The communication device of  claim 9  wherein the program code further includes code configured to determine an availability of the backing activity upon expiration of the delay period. 
     
     
       11. The communication device of  claim 9  wherein the program code further includes code configured to:
 detect a second user interaction with the user interface; and 
 terminate the rendering of the overlay on the display upon the detection of the second user interaction.